Kochi: If you are yet to book a ticket back home from Bangalore, then expect a costly ride, because while the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is operating “Silver Jet Line’ buses as ‘Christmas Special services”, it too is selling tickets with a 10 per cent hike under the flexi rate system.
This, at a time when inter-state private luxury operators are charging upto '2500 on the Bangalore-Ernakulam sector and the railways are operating Suvidha trains with dynamic fares as festival specials.
“I used to rely on KSRTC buses during festive seasons as the charges in private luxury coaches are not affordable. However, this time the daily services are all filled up. They are running Silver Jet Line as Special services and that too at a 10 per cent additional charge. The ticket fare of the non-AC bus is shown as Rs 931 as against Rs 891 for Bangalore-Ernakulam Multi-axle Volvo service and Rs 580 for Super Deluxe service on the RTC website,” said Rakesh Nair, a techie who tried to book a ticket for December 22.
The Silver Jet Line buses have push back seats but does not have air suspension and operates through the longer Manathavaday- Kutta route.
When contacted, a senior KSRTC official said ‘Silver Jet Line’ services were being operated as festival specials instead of the usual Super Deluxe services from depots like Ernakulam and Kottayam.
“An increase of 10 per cent in ticket rates will be effected in the return trips from Bangalore from December 22 to 24,” the officer said.
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